Paths
by brlittleforw
Summary: Three young and brave women see their paths connect, and united they part on a journey to save a life, break a curse and vanquish an evil. This is the tale of Emma, Red and Mulan. Of how they met and how they fought along to conquer their goals. [FTL AU]


It was the last flake of snow, the last scent of the winter, the last sense of freedom. It just turned into a single drop of water and fell from the highest tree uniting itself with pool concentrated underneath the branches.

The chaotic day brought to an end Regina's freewill. During all the years of hunting down Snow White she was condemned to a kismet worse than death. Humiliation. The day brought her to a last breath of civilization, and the loss of the things she still thought able to carry through life. Her palace, her servants, her lands, and, to finish it all in the lowest of styles, her heart.

The defeat carried a specially bitter taste. Even further when an outcome of her last resource to inflict pain and take everything away from the petulant Princess the people loved so dearly went to waist. It all turned against her.

She carried within herself the highest confidence, she believed unreachable, yet life itself proved her wrong not only once. The ones she thought allies reveled to be the lowest scum by betraying her trust at crucial moments. The one time she finally would be able to cast the curse to end all curses, to end Snow White and all her little friends; it all failed. It all back fired right on her face; she was caught to become a mare prisoner of the new King and Queen. A true joke of a pair to any Kingdom; even the pathetic Enchanted Forest.

She couldn't drag anything when they were finished, even her magical powers they found a way to dismiss. Being scouted to the entrance of what would be her new home, as they dared classify. A timeless prison, with only trees and the worse predators throughout all lands. She'd be left there to learn how to survive by herself as a bandit, like the royal disgrace that took her place once was.

The moment her feet touched the ground of the so called Infinity Forest was the very same she swore to herself she'd have it all back. And once vengeance came it would be endless times worse. To all of them, there would be not a soul left out of her banquet, she'd feel the taste of each one of them squish till their last breath of goodness left the world. Until they were nothing but miserable lizards begging for mercy. The one thing she had long lost.

Not a soul ever dared to enter this ground but the Dark One, and she saw herself give the steps elapsing through the first trees while the whole troupe stood behind eyeing her. It was needless to say they felt the first breaths of relief taking their lungs, and she needn't look back to see their expressions displaying it to know that was how they felt. She sensed the last of magic start weakening and her body functions were finally owned back.

Peculiar sound of laughter flooded the silence as a breeze blew and the dark red smoke came to life right in front of her. If feasible her face gathered one further peeved expression, only because how could he venture such approach, but he was Rumplestiltskin – a true coward – there would be no better moment for him to face her than on her most brittle trice.

When the heehaw show came to an end his steps led him too close for the likes of her, and Regina being herself was ready to show him that not because her powers were gone she suddenly became a sheer peasant on his boon. She still was the Queen they made her be, the Queen she embraced once. Howsoever, formerly any words could be spoken he slid up a hand in one of his theatrical acts taking stance and faced something above her head.

"Fear not, Deary!" He passed from saying to singing for the rest of his statement, in which his hands guided every syllable and his tongue laid emphasis on the letter 'r'. "Your life in this forest isn't eternal. There shall be a savior to end your devilish days."

"Savior?" Darkly, she inquired.

"Oh," His eyes landed on her. "Not yours. Theirs."

"Who?"

It came the second turn he exploded in guffaw, and again it was soon over. "That-" He stepped closer, inches away from her face and now his eyes entered hers with outdare. "-would be far too easy."

All at once he walked away and through his path Rumplestiltskin shouted, "Be prepared." Disappearing surrounded by the same red smoke he arrived, dismantled into thin air.

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><p><em><strong>Another quick final note...<strong>_

_**This is the work I most had to dedicate myself to develop, and it's still not finished, but I already have a storyline settled and decided to start posting. It should take a while to do updates tho. (Also, I don't have a beta for this piece, so if you are interested just gimme a word!)**_


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